Why Predicting Crimes Is Almost Always Racially Biased

‘As police work becomes more futuristic, it appears it is doomed to be stuck in the past. The concept of predictive policing might sound good in theory, but it could be dangerous. The idea is that if police could figure out where crime is most likely to happen, they might be able to prevent it or catch a person in the act. However, the actual result appears to be an oppressive reinforcement of age-old racial discrimination.
A report released in August by the right-wing Rand Corporation (which makes it all the more striking) looked at Chicago’s predictive policing program that started in 2013. The program is supposed to use data from people with criminal records and identify who was at the highest risk of being shot. Once police had the names, they were supposed to help guide the person to a safer lifestyle.’
Read more: Why Predicting Crimes Is Almost Always Racially Biased